Extreme Brownies

I feel as if I have gained 5 pounds just reading this book and that if I step into the kitchen with this book in hand I will gain an addition 10. Looking at the lush brownie pictures and reading the luxurious brownie names makes you want to jump up and get baking or at least hunt down the author's booth for a treat fix. However, unless you live in Virginia you have a bit of a wait since these brownies are definitely extreme and are not ready for consumption according to the author for almost and entire day and possibly until the next on some recipes, but we as readers know that we will not be waiting that long at least not for the first batch for sure! Read at your waistline's peril...

You will never desire another Brownie cookbook after this, well maybe! If Connie Weis can produce another version of this book with even more recipes, I'll be the first to purchase it. I've searched the net, pinned through Pinterest and scoured through pages of blogs trying yo find a decent brownie recipe. Once I found one but couldn't remember where I got the recipe. After reading this book though, I truly believe I had no clue what I was doing.

The first several sections are the most important! This is where a list of preferred and acceptable substitutes are listed with explanations for her choices. I can't tell you how many times I've tried different products in search of the right combination. Connie then guides you through the kitchen equipment you will and won't need and the reasons for using accurate measurements. Pan preparation, amazing tips and storage round out this part of the cookbook.

Now onto the good stuff. There are 37 Brownie and 13 Blondie recipes that will take you on a magical journey through layers of caramel, chocolate, marshmallow and more but that's only the beginning. There are glazes, frostings, drizzle, nougat, ganache, graham cracker crust, garnishes and the list goes on. You will never create another plain chocolate brownie (well maybe her signature PMS Brownie) after this book. There will never be a reason you should ever buy another boxed mix or purchase your ingredients because they're on sale. You will, however, have a new appreciation for baking Brownies!

Beautiful cookbook. I love brownies and I plan, when I can start baking again (summer in Florida is not the time to bake) a number of these brownies. This is a well-written cookbook with excellent instructions for ingredients and recipes. Ms Weis has performed well with her first book. I have no criticisms of the book, just a suggestion to read it when you are not hungry! I look forward to reading more cookbooks by Ms. Weis!

I love brownies and all sorts of variations on them, so this book had an obvious appeal right away.

The book starts out with the most amazingly tempting photographs of brownies, including a blondie variety, with peanut butter cups in them. Then as you would expect from most cookery books, there is an introduction by the author to explain why she created the book, followed by practical information about equipment and technique.

Tips for perfection are included as well as freezing and shipping advice. Emphasis on the detail in quality ingredients can make all the difference. I never knew that iodized salt would give a tinny flavor!

The bulk of the book, however, is filled with scrumptious recipes for every kind of brownie you can imagine. I counted thirteen recipes just in the Blondie section! The whole book is filled with full page color pictures of the treats you can make and is a visual delight that will make you anticipate the yummy brownies that you are about to make.

The recipes range from a deep, rich chocolate brownies to brownies with nuts or cookies in them, caramel stuffed, toffee, mint and marshmallow variations. The peanut butter varieties are definitely on my list of recipes to try! On the posh end of the spectrum is the Chocolate Amaretto Cheesecake Brownie. The name says it all.

It finishes off with metric conversions and a few more tempting color photographs, then an extensive index. The book is well presented and has everything the aspiring baker needs to know to make an impressive array of brownies. I'll certainly be trying my hand at some!

With a title like that you can be sure of a book packed full of ooey gooey brownies from heaven – or maybe hell, if you’re my Weight Watchers leader anyway!

I love brownies. I have a recipe I return to again and again I found in a magazine a few years back and it results in gooey, fudgey brownies with a chewy ‘crust’ (if that’s the right word) every time. I’ve been desperately trying to avoid them lately what with trying to stick to some semblance of a diet (again!) but who can resist when you have a recipe book entitled ‘Extreme Brownies’ – my fat girl gene was just crying out to whip up a batch and cram them into my mouth as they cooled (this is why I’ll never be skinny!).

With names like ‘holy heavenly hash brownies’, ‘rocky road kill brownies’ (neither of them involve roadkill or getting stoned by the way) and ‘spicy cinnamon baja brownies’ you’re guaranteed to find a recipe (or several) that will suit you and your brownie cravings. There’s even a section on blondies, which is something I’ve never been able to master before so I’ll definitely be attempting to make some delicious blondies now I have some amazing recipes to try out.

This is a recipe book i can see myself using again and again and one that anyone with a love of baking and all things sweet will adore. My only complaint is they didnt photograph all the brownies and blondies in the book!

Just as the title suggests, these ARE the Extreme Brownies! I taste tested a couple of the recipes in this book, and yes they work perfectly, not to mention the taste. A pure YUM Book. Highly recommend!

If Heaven had a name it would be “Extreme Brownie” by Connie Weis. This cookbook has every brownie recipe that you could ever imagine, and I had a very hard time deciding which brownie recipe to try first. Of course, I had volunteers to help me choose, and we decided on a recipe called “kitty kat krunch brownies” …and oh my…like I said… if heaven had a name…

This brownie recipe makes 12 large squares or 24 smaller brownies…good luck in actually getting the batter into the baking dish…this recipe is so finger licking good that you will want to eat the batter and forget about baking it. However, there is a beautiful photograph of these little detectable treats, giving you the inspiration you need to put this batter in the oven and let it bake.

I highly recommend this cookbook, it gives you fresh and innovative ideas on a simple dessert…making the ordinary into the extraordinary.

The title alone deserves 5 stars. Tons of great brownie recipes and one sounds better than the other. I kind of want to make all of them at once. I already marked 10 recipes as must tries and many more as possible tries. My collagues at work will be very pleased once the first test baking rolls around.

EDIT: Brought Rocky Roadkill brownies into work today....I got emails complimenting me on the brownies.

Brownies are my favorite dessert and this cookbook has some wonderfully different recipes. These look easy enough to make that even someone like me who has never made homemade brownies would feel comfortable giving it a go. Pictures to make you drool, along with good information about prep, baking, storing and freezing (I've already got the eating part down pat).

This is a very well put together cookbook. Many thanks to Andrews McNeel Publishing, via Netgalley, for allowing me to view this in exchange for an unbiased review.

There are brownies, and there are brownies, and, for the most part I can take them or leave them. That is until I flipped through the pages of this remarkable book by Connie Weis, Extreme Brownies, 50 Recipes for the Most Over the Top Treats Ever. Fifty. Over the top. And she is not kidding. This book can turn even the most disinterested brownie eater into one filled with passion. Get the mop ready, because turning the pages of this book, chock full of jump-off-the-page color photos is going to make you drool, and turn you into both brownie lover and brownie chef extraordinaire.

With tastes for all palates, this book is sure to please. As a lover of malted milk balls, I was thrilled to see the recipe for Whopping Malted Milk Ball Brownies with their malted milk ball glaze, malted milk ball garnish, and milk chocolate drizzle. One taste and I was in absolute heaven. Malted Milk Balls not your thing? How about Peanut Butter Cup Brownies loaded with chunks of peanut butter cups in every bite. The book is as addicting as are the brownies. Even non-chocolate lovers (Is there such a thing?) will find something to love here. There are a baker's dozen recipes for Blondies, think Caramel Crispie, White Chocolate Raspberry, and Lemon Mascarpone, to name but a few. I found myself trying a new recipe weekly, equally pleased with every one. Weis, a confirmed chocoholic, asserts that "extreme" doesn't equal difficult, and she is right. The instructions are ample, clear, and concise, allowing even the novice cook to whip up a beautiful batch of eye-popping brownies. If brownies studded with extra ingredients does not appeal, try the PMS Brownies. This simple recipe yields a dense, sinfully chocolate brownie that will have your eyes rolling back into your head.

If you've ever had the experience of following a recipe exactly as written and still coming out with less than satisfactory results, the problem may lie in your choice of ingredients. Weis discusses ingredients at the beginning of the book, even going so far as to list brand names; I really appreciated that. There is a section on equipment necessary for creating the perfect brownie, as well as detailed steps on how to remove the uncut brownies from the pan in one "slab" to allow for bakery shop perfection when slicing, packaging, and shipping. This book is brownie perfection.

Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Love the cooking advice about utensils to use and the use of good quality ingredients. I tried the brownies, basic ones and they were awesoem! Good and useful Cookbook!!

I think I gained 10 lbs just looking at the pictures! My family loves brownies and there is a brownie for everyone in this book. I look forward to making more of the recipes in the future.

With most recipe books, the food never comes out tasting as good as they looked. I can safely say the recipes in extreme brownies tasted even better than they looked (and they looked delicious!). I bought this book for two of my friends for Christmas, they love baking and I am sure they will love these recipes.

The photos in this book are a good enough reason to buy it. Seriously, if you want to take your baking to the next level, you need this!

I love that this cookbook is by a woman that is a home cook and just loves brownies. The book details exactly what brands she uses for her recipes, the equipment that is best, along with tips and tricks to get incredible results. The recipes are easy to follow with any kind of brownie or blondie a person can think of. The pictures are excellent, these recipes good enough to serve company or take to a party. Easy and elegant is a winning combination, just like Extreme Brownies.